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 Olives,
hummus, leafy greens, beans, whole grains…if these foods
are in your diet, bravo—you are on your way to following
the gold-standard Mediterranean Diet.
The allure of the Med Diet (as it’s often called) is that
it is more than a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to healthy
eating. It features fruit, vegetables, fish, beans, nuts and
whole grains as well as other ingredients such as olive oil
and wine that have been shown to promote good health. The
beauty of this approach is that it is as much about enjoying
time with friends and family as it is about eating.
Of course, many people have been eating like this for generations
and the health benefits are bountiful. Studies show that people
who eat a Mediterranean Diet have lower rates of heart disease,
certain cancers, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease
as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Even
better, taking the Mediterranean approach to food may help
you live longer—so eat up!
To help bring easy, healthy and delicious change into your
daily menu, try these tips to get started:
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·Stock your pantry with versatile
A-list ingredients so you always have foods like olive
oil, canned tomatoes, tuna, rice, pasta and other whole
grains on hand. It’s amazing how many easy Mediterranean
meals you can make from a well-stocked pantry when there’s
no time to shop. |
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Use a blender to make smoothies for breakfast
or as fuel for afternoon snacks by combining yogurt with
your favorite fruit. Frozen fruits (including berries)
are convenient for winter drinks, plus they eliminate
the need for any ice. |
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When it’s sandwich time, match better
breads with better spreads. Start with crusty whole grain
breads and rolls or pita pockets—tastier and healthier
than standard white bread—then spread with hummus,
mustard or pesto. Add foods such as tuna, sliced turkey
or chicken, lettuce, sprouts, shredded raw carrots, thin
slices of cheese and sliced apples. |
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Keep pre-cooked frozen shrimp in your home
freezer. Shrimp cooks quickly, making it an easy addition
to one-pot sautés and pasta dishes. |
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Use meat as a flavoring instead of a main
component in a meal. Add small strips of sirloin to a
sauté that features lots of vegetables, or add
a small amount of diced prosciutto to a dish of pasta. |
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Eat a vegetarian meal one night each week.
When that feels comfortable, try two nights per week. |
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Keep snacks simple. For instance, top pita
bread with a slice of tomato and a few tablespoons of
grated cheese and broil for a minute to create a healthy
mini-pizza. Marinate olives in olive oil, lemon zest,
coriander seeds and cumin seeds and enjoy as a tasty snack.
Or, fill celery stalks with hummus or different nut butters. |
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Brown bag it to work. Toss some leftover
whole grains into a thermos of soup or vegetable stew
before you screw on the lid to make your lunch even healthier.
Fill a whole-grain pita pouch with Greek salad and put
the dressing in a separate container; add the dressing
just before eating to keep the sandwich from getting soggy.
Keep whole grain bread in the freezer and make a sandwich
using frozen bread and hummus, sprouts, leafy greens,
sliced peppers, turkey, chicken or smoked salmon. By lunchtime
the thawed bread will taste fresh. |
As you adopt the Mediterranean Diet, you’ll open your
tastebuds to a whole new world of flavors, while improving
your health.
Georgia Orcutt is a program manager for Oldways,
a non-profit organization whose initiatives include the Mediterranean
Foods Alliance, the Whole Grains Council and the Latino Nutrition
Coalition. She has spent several decades as a writer and editor
for Yankee Magazine and other publications, and is the author
of numerous cookbooks including Cooking USA (Chronicle Books)
and How to Feed A Teenage Boy (Ten Speed Press).
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